Low maintenance means established plants that survive on rainfall, hold their shape without pruning, and do not drop enough litter to matter. Everything in this range meets that standard once its roots are down.

The first twelve months still require regular deep watering. That establishment period is what buys you the following decade of neglect, and skipping it is the most common reason a hardy tree fails.

This range suits holiday houses, rental properties, rural blocks and anyone who wants a garden that looks after itself. Natives dominate, but several drought-tolerant exotics such as olives and crepe myrtles are equally undemanding.